A protest resolution signed by hundreds of Ayia Napa residents, affected locals and users of the golf course site, was submitted today by the Initiative Group for the rescue of the main state forest Sotira, within the administrative boundaries of the Municipality of Ayia Napa.
The group's press release states that "the protest resolution is signed by 1,439 Ayia Napa residents and affected neighborhoods / users in the area of a golf course with similar residential, tourist and commercial development on state forest land 777 total area (777,700 tens). m. / 580 stairs) ».
It added that the resolution calls for the "immediate rejection of the request submitted by the private company" Ayia Napa Forest Golf Ltd "and is promoted by the Department of Forestry of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, which concerns the long-term lease of state forest land. construction of a golf course, with similar residential, tourist and commercial developments, as well as immediate protection of the main state forest Sotiras, within the administrative boundaries of the Municipality of Ayia Napa ".
In the memorandum of positions attached to the resolution and given today to the Mayor and the members of the Ayia Napa Municipal Council, it is stated that "the Initiative Group considers that the Mayor and the members of the Municipal Council should listen and take due account before creating the views and positions of the vast majority of citizens, as expressed in the public presentation and discussion held on October 24, 2019, at the Sea Museum of Ayia Napa ".
It is noted that during the public presentation "more than 130 citizens of Ayia Napa provided their contact details for the formation of the Initiative Group" while the signatures of 1,439 people are communicated to all relevant authorities, ie Ministries, Parliamentary Committees, District Administration , independent authorities, departments, services and local authorities.
Through the protest resolution, the Initiative Group "requests the immediate submission of negative views and positions from the Municipality of Ayia Napa, as a substantially competent Local Authority, regarding the application for long-term lease of state forest land of 777 sq.m. . / 777,700 stairs), part of the main state forest Sotiras within the administrative boundaries of the Municipality of Ayia Napa, for the purpose of creating a golf course with similar residential, tourist and commercial developments ".
The press release also states that the submission of negative views and positions by the Municipality of Ayia Napa must be sufficiently justified and based on the provisions and measures of the current Development Plan, ie the "Ayia Napa Policy Statement".
It is also added that "most of the state forest land requested for long-term lease has been reforested about 30-40 years ago, after many efforts and at high cost and is covered with tree forest vegetation such as pines, cypresses, invisible, olives, locusts , figs and eucalyptus. In addition, part of the state forest land requested for long-term lease is already leased by the Forest Department to eligible farmers for irrigated crops.
Still, "the available state forest land in the area has been greatly reduced, with all the negative consequences for the environment and society. "Therefore, the remaining state forest land should be preserved for future generations." It is added that "any satisfaction of the specific request for long-term lease of state forest land, will give the green light for other applications."
The Initiative Group "also requests from the competent Local Authority, to proceed immediately to submit a relevant proposal to the Department of Forests of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment for the declaration of the main state forest Savior from Protective Forest to National Forest Forest Management Plan ".
In this context and in accordance with the forest legislation, the Press Release continues "the Initiative Group considers that the concession, exchange, lease and / or disposal of state forest land for private exploitation should not be allowed, in order to avoid further shrinkage and to preserve the stock of state forest land that has remained in the area of the province of Famagusta. The Group also calls for the immediate implementation of the necessary management measures, in order to protect, preserve, maintain, delimit, surveillance and expand the main state forest Sotiras, in collaboration with the Department of Forests, the Municipalities of Sotira and Ayia Napa and civil society. " .
The Initiative Group "warns that, if the views and positions of the vast majority of Ayia Napa citizens, as well as the affected neighborhoods and users of the area of the main Sotira state forest, are not properly taken into account, the public reserves the right to environmental rights and take further dynamic measures ".
Source: KYPE